Tagging machine



A. RAICHE TAGGING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 6, 1930 Aug. 21,1934.

A. RAIC'HE 1,970,769

TAGGING MACHINE Filed Dec. 6, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hll ATTORNEY A.RAICHE TAGGING MACHINE Aug. 21, 1934.

Filed Dec. 6, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR BY awayf d ATTORNEY Aug.21, 1934.

A. RAICHE TAGGING MACHINE Filed Dec. 6, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 76 F 17.56'8 6 J: 134 5 O ATTORN EY A. RAlcHE TAGGING' MACHINE Aug. 21, 1934.

Filed Dec. 6, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR W ATTORNEY Patented Aug.21, I934 i 1,970,769 OFFIC 1,970,7 9 TAGGING MACHINE 7 Andrew Raiche,Quincy, Mass, assignor to The National Marking Machine 'Co.,'Cincinnati, Ohio, a. corporation of Ohio Y Application December 6, 1930,Serial No. 500,596

16 Claims. (o1. 153 1 The invention relates to a tag applying machine,and more particularly to a machine for the application of identificationtags to garments and other flexible articles, and the machine isvparticularly useful in attaching identification tags to the-differentpieces of a mass of laundry.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel and efficient machinefor applying tags to a'garment or other flexible article in a novel andimproved manner such that the garment is not injured or pierced by thetag.

. A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and efficienttag applying machine which is capable of forming individual metal tagsfrom a strip supply, and then applying the tag to the '45: positioningthe strip of tag forming material;

edge portion of a garment or a similar article In the drawingsillustrating the preferred em bodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is afront elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is a side elevation viewedfrom-the right-hand side of Fig. 1; Fig. 3.,is an enlarged detail infront elevation of the tag forming and applying mechanism and theoperating mechanism therefor; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail in sideelevation of the right-hand side of the machine shown in Fig. 1, showingthe parts in one position of operation; Fig. 5 is a similar viewillustrating the parts in a succeeding position of operation; Figs. 6and 7 are details illustrating the succeeding steps in the bending andfolding operation performed upon the tag andthe edge'portion of thegarment; Figs. Sand 9 are details in vertical section and in sectionalplan respectively, of the mechanism for feeding and Figs. 10, 11 and 12are, details in front elevation illustrating thesucceeding steps in thebending ofthe right-hand side of the tag preparatory to the reception ofthe edgeportion of the garment to which the tag is to be applied; Fig;13 is adetail in plan illustrating a portion of the mechanism shown inFig. 10 to be referred to; Figs. 14

and 15 are sectional details on the lines 14 .14., Fig. 3, and 1515,Fig. 4, respectively; Fig. lfi'isv a wiring diagram to be referred to;and Fig-.17 is a perspective illustrating a garment with a tag appliedthereto.

In general the invention contemplates the pro-- vision of a tag applyingmachine in which a tag of a bendable material, preferably of metal, is

operatively supported in a position for the reception thereon of theedge portion of a garment or other flexible article to which the tag isto be applied, and provision ismade for folding the tag and the-garmentsupported thereon to overfold portions of the tag and to clamp the edgeportion of the garment or other article within such over,- foldedportions of the tag. Provision is also preferably made for feeding tagforming material in strip form into the machine and for formingsuccessive tags therefrom.

Referring now to the drawings, the illustrated machine comprises asupporting frame 10 having atop-or table member 12 above which the tagforming and bending mechanism is located and beneath which most of theoperating and driving mechanism is supported so that the garment orother article may be-presented to the tag bending mechanism with littleliability of being caught in the operating or driving mechanism of themachine. The illustrated machine is particularly designed for use inapplying an identification tag to each garment or piece of a mass oflaundry to the end that all of the laundry belonging to one family maybear a similar tag, and accordingly inthe present machine the successivetags bearing the same number or identifying mark may and preferably willbe formed from a tag forming strip 14 drawn from a supply roll 16rotatably supported in arms 18 projecting rearwardly from the supportingframe 10. The tag forming strip 14 may be formed and prepared with theidentitying number or other character stamped on each tag formingportion in any convenient manner, but it is preferred to partiallyperforate the strip preparatory to its use in the present machine todefine the individual tags and provide slots 19 (see Fig; 9) betweeneach tag.

Provision is made for feeding the strip of'tag forming material intothe-machine and for p'osi-' tioning-the" end 'tag forming portionthereof in operative position with respect'to a former 26 in orderthat'the'end portion of the strip may be subsequently severed to formthe individual tag and sothat'the right-hand side of the tag thus formedmay be bent over the forming member 26, as will 'be'described and as isillustrated in Figs. 8 9, 10 and 11. Accordingly, the machine isprovided with a strip feeding mechanism here-- of themachine. Withthisconstruction, as the,

lever is oscillated back and forth, the finger 28 operates to advancethe strip of tag forming material a distance corresponding to the widthof an individual tag at each cycle of operation of the machine.

from any suitable source of power herein shown as comprising a motor 38mounted upon a cross member 40 forming a part of the supporting frame ofthe machine, as shown in Figs. 1 and2.

Provision is made for controlling the operationof the machine, and tothis end the machine is provided with a one-revolution clutch 42-of anyknown or preferred construction, andthe movable member 44 of which isprovided with a cam surface 48 adapted to engage at the end ofeachrevolution, with a stud 48 positioned in its path and by which themovable member 44 of the clutch is cammed away from and out ofengagement with the driving member 49 of the clutch. The driving member49 of the clutch is connected with the motor 38 through the medium ofthe belts 50, 51 and intermediate pulleys 52, 53 on a.

counter shaft 54, as shown in Fig. 1. The stud 48 is connected by a link55 with a foot treadle 56, and in the operation of the machine at each:

depression of the foot treadle the stud-48 is withdrawn from engagementwith the cam 46 on the movable member, permitting the movable member tobe forced by the usual form of spring, not shown, into engagement withthe driving member of the clutch. In the normaloperation of the machineat each depression of the foot treadle by the operator, the main shaft36 of the machine makes one revolution, the disengagement of the clutchbeing effected by the stud 48 and cam surface 46. The stud 48 isjournalledin its movements in'a bracket 60 forming part of the machineframe, and .the stud is normally urged into a position to engage the camsurface 46 on the movable member, by a spring 62. (see Fig. 3).

As above described, ateach cycle of: operation of the machine, the stripfeeding mechanism operates to feed the end tag forming portion under theformer 26and to position the slot 19 connecting the endmost tagforming-portion with the next adjacent tag formingportion, over a slot66 in a stationary cutter member 68, as, illustrated in detail in Fig.8.Provision is made for severing the endmost tag forming portion to forman individual tag,: and as herein shown .a reciprocatory cutter. member'10 is provided preferably shaped, as illustrated in, Fig. 5, withbevelled cutting surfaces .171 and with a central depending portion 72which serves as afinger to enter the slot 19 inthe .tag forming strip asthe cutter member 70 descends and to assist in positively locating orpositioning the stripover the underlying slot 66 in the fixed orstationary cut ter member 68. .As the cutter 70 descends, the endmosttag is severed from theblankstrip and thereafter-the cutter is againraised, leaving the tag thus formed in a position 'under'the former 26ready for the subsequent bending operations, as will be described' Thecutter 70 is carried by a reciprocatory block 720 arranged to slide in aguideway in a head 73 forming part of the machine frame, and the cutteri's'rais'ed by a spring 74 engaging at its upper end with a piece 76extending from and forming part of; the reciprocatory head or block 720(see Fig. 8) The cutter 70 is depressed by the downward movement of anarm '78 having anadjustable contact member 79 secured therein whichengages the top of the reciprocatory head 'or block'720,

and the arm 78 is oscillated from a cam 80 through a cam roller 82mounted upon a cam arm 84 connected to a lever 86 attached to the rockshaft 88 to which the arm 78 is secured, the parts being bestillustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The main shaft 36 of the machine is drivenIn order to bend up the right-hand side portion of the tag which hasbeen thus severed from the strip in the manner described, the machine isprovided with a bending member, herein shown as comprising a square rod92 mounted to slide in a block 94 formed upon the end of an arm 96connected to a hub 98. The latter is provided with an arm 106 formed asa part thereof, and the arm 106 is connected to a stud 99 fastened in abracket 100 mounted upon the supporting table 12. The hub 98 is arrangedto be rocked to depress and raise the arm 96 and block 94 together withthebending member 92 through the medium of a cam 102, cam roller 104,and arm 106. In the operation of the machine, the cam 102 is timed sothat after an individual tag has been severed from the strip theposition of the parts will be, as illustrated in Fig. 4, with the end ofthe bending member 92 depressed below the right-hand side portion of thetag. The cam 102 then operates to rock the hub 98 in a clockwisedirection, raising the arm 96, block 94 and bending member 92, andcausing the bending member to bend the righthand side portion of the taginto an upright posi tion, such as is illustrated in Fig. 10. Provisionis then made for advancing the bending member 92 itself with relation toits supporting block 94 in order to complete the bending of theright-hand side portion of the tag over the rounded edge of the former26 to cause the tag to be bent into the shape illustrated in Fig. 11.This forward movement of thebender 92 is accomplished by a suitablydesigned cam 108 operating through a cam roller 199 on a lever 110, theupper end of which is forked and within which a block 112 is received.The block 112 is pivotally connected to the end of the bender 92, andfrom an inspection of Fig. 11 the operation will be apparent.

' Provision is now made in the operation of the machine for withdrawingthe former 26 from its operative position over the tag, and to this endthe former is connected through a pivoted link 114 to a lever 116 itselfpivoted at its lower end upon the machine frame and provided with a camroller 118 Which cooperates with a suitably designed cam 120 on the maindriving shaft of the machine. As shown in Fig. 3, the lever 116 of theformer actuating mechanism and the lever 31 of the strip'feedingmechanism are connected together by a'single spring 120 which operatesto yieldingly hold thecam rollers upon their respective cams.. After theformer 26 has thus been withdrawn, the cam 108 operates to cause thebender 92 to advance from the position shown in Fig. 11 to that shown inFig. 12, operating to slide,

the partially bent tag into a position ready to receive the edge portionof the garmentor other article preparatory to the subsequent bending 'operations by which the tag is attached thereto.v

' In the further operation of the machine the garment indicatedgenerally at 130 which may comprise a piece of laundry or anyotherflexible article to which the tag is to be applied, is presented to themachine by the operator and the edge portion thereof is placed under thebent up right-hand side edge of the tag, the latter occupying theportion shown in Fig. 4, and provision is then made for bending down theupstanding side edge of the tag to clamp the garment between it; and theunderlying portion of the bodyof the tag, and as herein shownthisoperation isperformed by a presser member 132 slidable in a guidewayin the head '73, andthe presser member 132 is yieldingly depressed by acontact member 134 and spring 135 mounted in the arm 78 by which thecutter is operated, as previously-described, and as best illustrated inFig. 5. The presser member 132 cooperates with a fixed supporting plate136 under the side edge portion of the tag to perform the final bendingof the side edge to clamp the edge portion of the garment, asillustrated in Fig. 5. The presser 132 is lifted after each operation bya spring (not shown) similar in arrangement to the spring '24, see Fig.8.

Provision is now made in the operation of the machine for folding theleft-hand side of the tag with the garment superposed thereon over uponthe previously folded right-hand side edge, and as herein shown thisoperation is performed by a folding member 140 formed upon the upper endof an arm 141 pivoted upon the end of a lever 142, itself pivoted at 144in lugs 146 depending from the supporting member 12, and having upon its'1 second end a cam roll 148 which cooperates with an actuating cam 150upon the main driving shaft of the machine. The folding member 140 isprovided with a depending portion 152 having a spring actuated stud'154which, as the cam 150 causes the lever 142 to rise, engages theunderside of the supporting table 12, and operates to rock the foldingmember 140 upon its pivot and with relation to the lever 142, and tothrow the forward end of the folding member inwardly.

'. The folding member 140 bears against a pivoted bearing member 143adjustably positioned by a set screw 145. During the initial rise of thefolding member 140 the left-hand side edge of the tag is bent from theposition shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 6, and during the lastpart of the movement of the presser member in which the lever continuesto rise after the stud 154 has engaged the underside of the table top,the end of the folding member is, as above described, caused I to rockinwardly to thereby fold over the lefthand side edge of the tag and thegarment into the position shown in Fig. I, where the edge portion of thegarment is securely clamped between the overfolded side portions of thetag. The'fold- 'lng members are shaped to taper toward their edges tofacilitate the formation of a close fold.

From an inspection of Fig. 5, it will be observed that the arm '78 andits actuating cam serve to simultaneously depress both the cutter member70 and the presser member 132, and in the operation of the machine thepressing operation upon one tag will be performed while a succeeding tagis being cut from the end of the blank strip previously fed intoposition, thus enabling a maximum production to be obtained with themachine.

Provision is also preferably made for controlling the machine to preventthe operation thereof in the event that no tag is in an operativeposition, such as is illustrated in Fig. 4, ready to receive a garmentor other article to be tagged, and for this purpose a pair of detectingfingers 160 are provided pivoted upon a plate 162 secured to the top ofthe table or supporting member 12 and having springs 164 cooperatingtherewith for pressing the fingers toward one another. When a tag is inoperative position, such as is illustrated in Fig. 4, thesprings 164cause the fingers to yieldingly engage the sides of the tag and the tagoperates to hold the fingers apart and to prevent a contact 166 carriedby one of the fingers to close an electrical circuit at a second contact168 within the piece upon which the tag is supported. The electricalcircuit includes a pair of spring contacts,- 170 of well knownconstruction, as illustrated in Fig. 16, a solenoid 171, and a battery172. The spring contacts 170 are arranged to be closed by an insulatedcontact member upon the earn 150 so that at the end of one cycle ofoperation of the machine the circuit is closed at the spring contacts170, and if no tag is present the circuit will be closed at the contacts166, 168. The solenoid 171 when thus energized (see Fig. 14) operates todraw its armature 184 inwardly and to move a locking stud 186 inwardlyunder a collar 188 upon which the stud 48 is secured, thus preventingthe stud 48 from being Withdrawn from the path of the cam 46 and holdingthe movable member of the clutch disengaged. In this manner theoperation of the machine willbeprevented until a tag has been positionedbetween the spring fingers 160.

In addition to their function as detecting members, the spring pressedfingers 160 serve as holding devices to hold the tag in an operativeposi tion during the presentation of the garment thereto, and thefolding operations performed by the presser member 132 and the foldingmember 140. The tag is forced in between the fingers 160 by the bendermember 92.

As above stated, the=present machine is particularly useful in theapplication of tags to the different pieces of laundry belonging to asingle person or family, and as illustrated in Fig. 17, it-

portion of the garment, thus enabling the laundry to be sorted in aminimum time and with minimum effort. v

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been hereinillustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention maybe embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A tagapplying machinehaving, in combination, a former, means for feeding atag beneath the former, folding means for folding one side portion ofthe tagvover the side of the former and into an angular position, meansfor moving the tag into a position in which the edge portion of agarment may be placed upon the tag and the edge introduced under theangularly extended side portion thereof, means for subsequently foldingdown such angularly extended side portion of the tag to clamp the tagupon the edge of the garment, and means for folding the opposite sideportion of the tag with the garment thereon over upon the side portionfirst folded.

2. A tag applying machine having, in combina tion, a. former, means forfeeding a strip of tag forming materialinto a position with the end ofthe strip under the, former, means for severing the end of the strip toform an'individualtag, a folding member for folding one side of the tagover the former and into an angular position, means for withdrawing theformer, means for moving the tag thus partially folded into operativeposition with respect to a pair of folding members, and means forsubsequently operating said pair of folding members tofold down theangular side portion of the tag upon the edge of a garment introducedthereunder, and for thereafter folding the opposite side portion of thetag over upon the portion thus first folded.

3. In a tag applying machine, in combination, tag feeding mechanism,folding mechanism operative to fold successive portions of the tag overupon one another and upon the edge of a garment introduced under thefirst folded portion, a clutch controlling the operation of the machine,and control mechanism for preventing the operation of the machine in theevent that a tag is not present in operative position to be folded.

4. In a tag applying machine, in combination, means for supporting a tagin position to permit a garment to be placed thereon, folding mechanismfor folding portions of the tag to clamp it upon the garment, mechanismfor operating the folding mechanism including a clutch, and a controlmechanism cooperating with the clutch for preventing the operation ofthe machine in the event that a tag is not presented in operativeposition to be folded.

5. In a tag applying machine, in combination, means for supporting a tagin position to permit a garment to be placed thereon, folding mechanismfor folding portions of the tag to clamp it upon the garment, mechanismfor operating the folding mechanism including a clutch, and .a controlmechanism cooperating with the clutch for preventing the operation ofthe machine in the event that a tag is not presented in operative po-Iof tag forming material into the machine of a character having theindividual tag forming portions separated by transversely extendedslots, a cutter member provided with a depending portion adapted toenter a slot to thereby accurately position the strip, and foldingmechanism for bending portions of the tag thus formed to clamp the tagonto the garment positioned in operative position thereto.

'7. In a tag applying machine, in combination,

' mechanism for feeding a strip of tag forming material into themachine, mechanism for severing the end portion of the strip to form atag, a combined folding and feeding device for folding up a side portionof the tag into an angular position, and operative then to move the taginto a position to receive a garment, folding mechanism for folding downsaid angular portion of the tag, and folding mechanism for thereafterfolding the opposite side portion of the tag over upon the portion thusfirst folded.

8. In a tag applying machine for applying tags to a garment, incombination, means for operatively supporting a roll of tag formingmaterial, means for feeding the tag forming material into the machine,means for forming a tag therefrom,

and mechanism for clamping the edge of the garment in a tortuous shapebetween a plurality of folds of the tag.

9. In a tag applying machine, in combination,

means for supporting an article in position to be tagged, tag applyingmeans for applying a tag to the article while the latter is supported intag applying position, and a control mechanism for controlling theoperation of' the. machine in accordance'with the presence or absence ofa tag.

10. In a tag applying machine, the combination of a clamp device forengaging two side edges of a tag and leaving the top of the tag free andunobstructed so that a garment may be placed thereon, means for foldingone of the unengaged edges of the tag over the garment, and means forfolding the unengaged edge of the tag and the garment over the part ofthe tag and garment first folded- 11. In a tag applying machine, thecombina-, tion of a clamp device for engaging two side edges of a tagand leaving the top of the tag free and unobstructed so that a garmentmay be placed thereon, means for folding one of the unengaged edges ofthe tag over the garment, and means for folding the unengaged edge ofthe tag and the garment over the part of the tag and garment firstfolded, each of said tag folding means being yieldably supported tothereby adapt itself to garments of different thicknesses.

12. In a tag applying machine, the combination of a support designed toreceive a tag, an arm slidingly supported above the tag to hold it inposition against the support with one edge projected beyond the arm,means for moving the projected edge of the tag upwardly, means forwithdrawing the said arm from position above the tag, and means foradvancing the tag to a folding mechanism.

13. In a tag applying machine, the combination of a tag support formedwith a slot designed to receive a tag, a tag clamping device forengaging the top of the tag and leaving one edge of the tag projectedbeyond the clamping device, a tag folding and advancing devicecomprising an arm, means for moving the arm upwardly relative to theclamping device and tag for folding one edge of the tag upwardl andmeans for moving the arm longitudinally to advance the tag to a foldingmechanism.

14. A tag applying machine having, in combination, means for folding oneedge of a flat tag upwardly, means for operatively supporting said tag,a folding member movable downwardly for folding the upturned edge of thetag over upon the edge of a garment placed on the tag, a second foldingmember for folding the opposite side of the tag and a portion of .thegarment resting thereon over upon the first folded portion of said tag.I i

15. In a tag applying machine, in combination, means for supporting anarticle in position to be tagged,-tag applying mechanism for applying atag to the article while the latter is thus positioned, detecting meansfordetermining the presence or absence of a'tag in operative tagapplying position, and meansfor preventing the operation of the machineupon failure ofthe detecting mechanism to thus detect a tag.v

16. In a tag applying machine, in combination,. strip feeding mechanismfor feeding a strip of tag forming material into the machine, a cuttingmechanism for severing an individual tag from the strip thus fed andautomatically operating of agarment, one of said members having acompound fold producing movement.

ANDREW RAICHE.

